PMID: 20653296Jul 27, 2010Paper

Cardiac coherence and posttraumatic stress disorder in combat veterans

Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine
Jay P GinsbergDonald A Powell

Abstract

The need for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among combat veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq is a growing concern. PTSD has been associated with reduced cardiac coherence (an indicator of heart rate variability [HRV]) and deficits in early stage information processing (attention and immediate memory) in different studies. However, the co-occurrence of reduced coherence and cognition in combat veterans with PTSD has not been studied before. A pilot study was undertaken to assess the covariance of coherence and information processing in combat veterans. An additional study goal was assessment of effects of HRV biofeedback (HRVB) on coherence and information processing in these veterans. A two-group (combat veterans with and without PTSD), pre-post study of coherence and information processing was employed with baseline psychometric covariates. The study was conducted at a VA Medical Center outpatient mental health clinic. Five combat veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan with PTSD and five active-duty soldiers with comparable combat exposure who were without PTSD. Participants met with an HRVB professional once weekly for 4 weeks and received visual feedback in HRV patterns while receiving training in reso...Continue Reading

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